Hey, Hamilton cast: The left has its own problems with ‘diversity’

Vice-President-elect Mike Pence took the opportunity of being in New York City this week to attend the Broadway hit musical “Hamilton”. Ruining what might have been an enjoyable night out at the theater, the show cast lectured and harassed Mr. Pence, criticizing his new administration barely a week after he and Donald Trump were elected. So much for the theater being a safe space, free from microaggressions.

This should be no surprise as the left makes everything political. From NFL football games to Halloween costumes, it seems few American traditions are free from criticism and disdain over the same buzzword issues of diversity, inclusiveness, and tolerance. Even the tradition of a family night out at the theater.

An ironic aside lost on the cast members lecturing and audience booing Mr. Pence is that Alexander Hamilton, namesake of the Broadway play, probable author of Federalist Paper 68, argued in favor of the electoral college for choosing the president. Yes, the same electoral college that modern-day liberals want to abolish since it didn’t deliver their desired election outcome.

“Hamilton” does indeed have a diverse cast with Black, biracial and Asian cast members representing our White male founding fathers. Good for them. At least the show walks the walk of diversity rather than just talking the talk as so many other progressive institutions do. Until they stepped over the line. At a casting call earlier this year, they called for “non-white” actors, contradicting the inclusiveness the play supposedly represents.

Is not the play itself, with its multi-ethnic and multi-color cast, a shout out to diversity, without needing to lecture and demean the future vice-president in the same condescending manner perfected by Barack Obama?

Not only the theater, but also the entire left, only a week post-election, is blasting President-elect Donald Trump over his cabinet and its lack of diversity. What cabinet? Only one cabinet member has been named thus far, Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. There is speculation about other cabinet positions, but how can one judge the diversity of a hypothetical cabinet that doesn’t even yet exist?

That doesn’t stop the leading voices of the left. USA Today mocks Trump with a headline, “Cabinet diversity? Eh, sure”. The Washington Post joins in with this headline, “Donald Trump’s binder full of white men”. Let’s not leave out the Huffington Post with this lead, “Not to mention his potential appointees are pretty much all white men”.

Perhaps it is worth looking at these institutions to see how diverse and inclusive they are. Or are they living in glass houses casting stones?

The US Census Bureau breaks down the US population as 62 percent White, 18 percent Hispanic, 13 percent Black, and 6 percent Asian. And of course, a 50-50 distribution of males and females.

The executive editor of the Huffington Post tweeted a now famous photo of an editors’ meeting.

 

All women, no Blacks. Hardly the bastion of diversity that they are already criticizing Trump over.

CNN has a digital leadership team of six. Four men, two women, all White.

The Washington Post has eight editorial board members. Six White men, one White woman, one Black man.

The New York Times editorial board fares a bit better in the diversity department. Of 16 board members, only nine White men, two Black men, and seven women, six of whom are White. Not so much for their executive team of thirteen members. Nine are White guys, one Black guy, and three White women.

Not only news organizations, but sports teams too. The NFL has a commitment to diversity. Yet NFL players are 68 percent Black, 28 percent White, and only 1 percent Hispanic. Hardly the diversity seen in the American population.

The NBA is also committed to diversity and inclusion. Much like the NFL, the NBA racial complexion is far different than that of America. Players are 69 percent Black, 22 percent White, and 4 percent Hispanic.

The point is that these organizations, extolling the virtues of diversity and inclusiveness, aren’t practicing what they preach. Hypocrisy? Yes. But is it a bad thing? Or are they creating the best teams they can, the heck with diversity quotas?

Most organizations want members that fit well within the group, who can work together, fulfilling the group mission. A news organization’s goal is to provide high quality content consistent with its aim or mission. If it turns out that goal is best accomplished by a group of women, or men, or a certain skin color, so be it.

Sports teams want to win. If the best athletes in a particular sport happen to be predominantly from one racial group, it makes perfect sense that this is reflected in the team composition. I don’t hear any outcries from the diversity police to make professional sports teams more inclusive.

Imagine if the diversity do-gooders had their way with sports teams, mandating that team rosters were racially proportionate to the overall American population. That would be the kiss of death for professional sports.

Why is not Donald Trump afforded the same prerogative to create a cabinet best suited to advise him, able to work together fulfilling his presidential agenda? Trump is simply following the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr, where people, including his governing team, “Will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

That’s the American ideal, that all men are created equal. Not based on skin color, ethnicity, or artificial quotas. Those representing Hamilton should understand this. The American people sure do. Which is why Vice President-elect Pence, not Kaine, was the one watching the play the other night.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook  and Twitter.

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